


For the person I love most in the world

by fifteen_half



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 22:08:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18302834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fifteen_half/pseuds/fifteen_half
Summary: Jeno has never told Jaemin how he feels. Jaemin says it to him first, but it isn't quite the same...





	For the person I love most in the world

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired by an old mcdonald's commercial

"Jisung ah, could you pass me the plate?"  
  
Jeno looks to his left, then to his right. And then he looks behind him and sees no one. Frowning at Jaemin, he says, "Yah, Jisung isn't here. He's hiding in the bathroom again."  
  
Jaemin raises a brow, confused, "Huh? Did I say Jisung? I meant you. Could you pass me your plate, Jeno? I wanna sleep early tonight."  
  
Passing the plate to the younger boy, Jeno laughs, "Hey, are you showing signs of aging now? I  _swear_  you asked for Jisung to give you the plate."  
  
"Did I?"  
  
Jeno nods.  
  
Jaemin gets the plate from Jeno and frowns.  


* * *

  
"Come on, Haechan ah! Let's go back to the dorms. I'm already falling asleep on my feet!"  
  
Eyes wide in surprise and amusement, Jeno laughs and says, "What did you say? Haechan isn't even here! It's just us five."  
  
Jaemin turns to face him. Frowning, he says, "Yeah. What did I say anyway?"  
  
"You just called me 'Haechan'."  
  
"I did? I must be tired."  
  
Jeno laughs as he nods, "More than just tired, I'd say. Come on," he says, grabbing Jaemin's arm and dragging him towards the rest of the members, "Let's all go home. I think we've done enough practice for now. Manager hyungs probably wants us to leave so they could go home as well."  
  
Laughing along with Jeno, Jaemin replies, "Yeah. You're right, Injunnie."  
  
Jeno stops when he hears that. Then he turns around to face Jaemin and smirks, "Hey. You just called me ' _Injunnie_ '! You're showing signs of aging again!"  
  
Jaemin shakes his head and frowns, a little confused and a little worried. But before he could say anything back, Jeno is already walking forward, continuing to drag him towards a squabbling Renjun and Jisung with Chenle laughing loudly beside them.   
  
Calling out to the other members, Jeno yells, "Guys, let's go home! Jaemin's been acting strange and calling me with different names already! We need to go back and cure the sick!"  
  
Chenle laughs when he hears it. Yelling back, he says, "Hyung called me ' _Mark-hyung_ ' yesterday, too!"  
  
Amused, Jisung laughs along, "You, too? Jaemin-hyung called me ' _Xuxi-hyung_ ' when we left the dorms! And I heard him call Taeyong-hyung 'Johnny-hyung _'_   when hyung called us the other day!"

"He called me _'Kun-hyung'_ the other day, too!" Renjun adds, grinning at Jaemin.  
  
All four of them laugh at a slightly smiling Jaemin, not really noticing the confused expression on the boy's face.  
  
When Jeno gets himself under control, he takes Jaemin aside and whispers, "You should've told us you were tired, Jaemin ah. Stop making us worry."  
  
Laughing softly, Jaemin smiles, "Sorry. I'll take as much rest as I can later."  
  
"You should! Or I'll sic Doyoung-hyung or Taeyong-hyung on you until you're properly rested!"

Grimacing at the thought of the two hyungs who had the tendency to nag (Doyoung) or guilt-trip (Taeyong), Jaemin shudders, "God, anything but that."

* * *

"Jaeminnie, are you all right?"  
  
Jaemin looks up from the book he was reading and frowns in confusion, "Hyung? What do you mean?"  
  
Mark sits beside Jaemin on the couch, faces him and says, "You've been calling everyone with different names lately. Is this some kind of new game you guys have cooked up? Except no one else knows the rules but you so... So I don't know what else it could be other than something is wrong with you." Seriously, Mark asks, "Is something wrong, Jaemin? Are you feeling okay? You're not sick, are you?"  
  
It takes a while before Jaemin understands. Frowning, he answers, "I don't feel anything wrong with me, hyung. And no, this isn't a game either."  
  
"Are you sure? You're not tired at all? You don't feel anything strange? None? At all?"  
  
Jaemin only shakes his head.  
  
Mark sighs and frowns. Then softly, he says, "You're worrying us a lot, Jaemin ah. It was --and I'm sorry to this-- amusing at first, mixing all our names. But it's become such a frequent occurrence that you've got everyone worried. Maybe...maybe you should go to the hospital this weekend? We're free then. I can even come with you if you like?"  
  
Jaemin doesn't quite know what to say to that. True, it has been bothering him. Mixing up names while you aren't aware you're mixing them up, and then sometimes, completely  _forgetting_  the names... it scared him. Still, he doesn't want to believe that this was anything serious. And agreeing to go to the hospital this weekend would make him  _accept_  that something really was wrong with him.  
  
About to say no, Jaemin stops when he hears Mark say, "I'm sorry, Jaemin ah. I know you don't want to go but Jeno really wants you to. I told him it's probably nothing, but Jeno wouldn't budge and insisted. If not for yourself --could you do it for him?"  
  
Sighing, Jaemin nods.  
  
Mark smiles at the younger boy. Placing a hand on the other's shoulder, he says comfortingly, "Don't worry, Jaemin. It's probably nothing."  
  
Jaemin smiles back and hopes that it  _is_  probably nothing.

* * *

"We're going."  
  
"Thank you. For going."  
  
Jaemin smiles ruefully at Jeno, walks up to him and says, "It's okay, Jeno yah. I haven't had a checkup since forever and now would be a good time to do just that."  
  
"Yeah, sorry. I know you don't like going to hospitals but... anyway, it'll probably be quick! Come back with good news for all of us, okay?!"  
  
Jaemin nods, then smiles, "Yeah. I'll cook you your favorite as sorry for worrying you later!"

* * *

"Jungwoo-hyung, could you pass me the plate?"

 

_I'm so sorry, Jeno._

 

"Chenle ah, are you there? Could you pass me the plate?"

 

_I'm really so, so sorry._

 

"I know you're there, Yuta-hyung. I can't turn to look because I might burn the food but I know you're there!"

 

_Can you believe it, Jeno? I have an eraser in my mind._

 

"Jisung ah, don't be lazy and pass me the plate! This is almost done."  
  
Finally losing his patience, Jaemin turns around to get the plate himself. He is surprised to see Jeno crying silently over the counter. Concerned, Jaemin turns off the stove and walks over to the other boy. Rubbing soothing circles in the Jeno's back, he whispers gently, "Ssh, come on now, stop crying. If you tell me what's wrong, I can help you. And I promise you, everything will be okay, Renjun ah."  
  
Jeno cries harder when he hears the name. Then he laughs bitterly and wipes his tears away. Facing Jaemin, he smiles weakly and says, "Sorry for crying like that, Jaemin ah. Here," he continues, taking the large plate in front of him, "the plate. I was spacing off and I hadn't heard you. Sorry."  
  
Accepting the answer, Jaemin smiles as he takes the plate from the other boy.  
  
"You know what, Haechan ah?"  
  
Jeno feels the sting of tears threatening to fall again, but he shakes his head and fights the tears to stay back. Swallowing the lump forming in his throat, he shakily replies, "Yeah? What is it?"  
  
"I made this for someone today."

 

_Is it curable?_

_I..._

_Is it curable?!_ _Can they treat it?_

_I..._

_W-will this stop?! Is this temporary?! Can they find a cure for this?! Will... will you forget me, too?_

 

"Oh? For who?"

Placing a large amount of soy sauce egg fried rice in the plate, Jaemin turns around and faces Jeno with the biggest, _happiest_ smile Jeno has ever seen.  
_  
_ "For the person I love most in the world," Jaemin says, "For  _Jeno_."

 

_Jeno, I'm so sorry._


End file.
